CREATIVE media students at Stratford College joined an award-winning director for a film-making masterclass.
Deborah Haywood directs and writes shorts including ‘Sis’, which won several awards across the film-festival circuit in 2011, and more recently’ Pin Cushion’ – a drama about the bullying.
The filmmaker discussed her career and the art of screenwriting and directing.
She told the class she initially aspired to become a writer.
“When I was aged 23, I decided that I wanted to provide my daughter with a positive example. I took an access course that involved creative writing and I found writing to be like a drug. I ended up writing two terrible novels before I realised that my real love was film and TV.
“If a director has a passion and a drive to tell stories containing hard-hitting themes, they absolutely should.”
And Deborah had some words of encouragement for the budding filmmakers to inspire them on their own paths.
She said: “As a young girl from Derbyshire, I didn’t know that someone like me could go and make films. It’s important to show people that if I can do it anyone can do it. You’ve just got to have persistence and determination.”
Visit www.stratford.ac.uk for details on the courses available.